Mongrel dogs with healed myocardial infarctions were given a 2 min coronary occlusion during an exercise test. The exercise plus ischemia test induced ventricular fibrillation in nine animals. One week later, the test was repeated after pretreatment with magnesium sulfate (100 mg/kg i.v.). Magnesium prevented ventricular fibrillation in seven of the nine animals without adverse side effects. Thus, magnesium may be useful in the management of ventricular fibrillation during ischemia.